Tank-ball



c. RIEGGER.

TANK BALL. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 12. 1913.

1,334,793. I Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

CONSTANTIN RIEGGER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TANK-BALL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

Application filed December 12, 1913. Serial No. 806,247.

To all'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OONSTANTIN Rmccnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident 'of the city of New York, borough of Man vide a ball with a reinforcement in the in-" terior of the upper part.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tank ballwith a reinforcement in the upper part, and a reinforcing member at the edge co-acting with the reinforcement in the top for making a good joint therebetween.

A. still further object of the invention is to provide a ball with a hemispherical bot tom and-a conical top, the top being reinforced so that the sameand the upper edges of the bottom will be properly braced against the usual collapsingtendency.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reinforcement at the seam so as to prevent the opening thereof.

In carrying out the object of the invention a hemispherical or substantially hemi-' spherical bottom portion is provided which is formed of flexible material so as to properly accommodate itself to'the seat. Associated with this hemispherical bottom is a top which may be substantiallyhemispherical or may be conical, and which is provided with a reinforcement, preferably arranged on the interior. The reinforcement extends to the point of juncture between the top and bottom. Preferably an annular inwardly projecting flange is arranged at the point of juncture between the upper and lower part of the ball so as to strengthen said point and act as a bracing member. This flange may be made independent or may be caused to partially inclose the bottom edge of the 1 reinforcement of the conical shaped upper portion of the ball so as to provide a good joint between the reinforcement and the upper part of the ball and the, juncture between the upper and lower portion of the ball.

In-the accompanying drawing Figure l is a side view of an embodiment of the invention;-

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3is a side view of a slightly modified form of the invention to that shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section through the structure shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing a structure similar to the structure shown in Fig. 4: but showing the annular flange or reinforcement extending below or beyond the line of juncture of the upper and lower part of the ball;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 except that the upper reinforcement is omitted and only an annular reinforcing ring is shown.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 except that the reinforcement is' directly at the seam or line of weakness, and isvulcanized so as to be integral with the upper and lower portions of the ball.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numeral 1 indicates the usual rod designed to be connected with the spud 2 associated with the upper part of the ball 3.

The ball 3 is substantially a sphere, the bottom 4. being formed of rubber more or less soft in the usual manner so as to allow thesame to be properly seated. The upper part i 5 is also made of rubber more or less soft,

but in order to prevent the same from 001- 'lapsing a reinforcing and stiffening member 6 is provided, which may be made of any desired material, as for instance, rubber, either ofa good quality or a poor quality, provided the same is comparatively stiff. The lower edge of the reinforcement 6 is provided with an enlargement 7, whereby the center of the, ball 3 isstiffened, which affects the lower part of the ball or bottom portion a so as to hold the same against elongating. It will also be observed that a bead 8 is provided at the equator of the ball. Arranged interiorly of ball 3 is a circunr ferentia] flange 9 bent over the enlargement 7 and Preferably vulcanized thereto, whereby a good strong joint is provided.

Figs. 3 and 4 disclose the same general principle as shown in Figs. land 2, but the top 5' is formed conical, while the bottom 4 is hemispherical, similar to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The

.a hardrubber or gum, andtherefore, is

reinforcement 6 (Figk) acts in a similar -manner toreiniorceme nlt 6 shown in Fig. 2,

tinuou's wi hltopo, and with a line 10 in-, dicating where the upper and lower parts'ofi the ball join.

In FigsfS; and 6' modified forms of the V I I vention to that shown in Fig. 4 are disportion and upper port on for preventnig closed. For instance, in Fig. 5,'the bottom' all and the' top 5 are provided with the usual line orpoint of juncture 10, but the annular flange 9 .is omitted. However, the

reinforcement 6 extends downwardly to. a point 11 which isbelow the line ofjuncture, or line ofwea'kness 10, .wherebysaid line of weakness is. reinforced and .b'raced. As considerable strain comes at th s point-the enlargement 7 is provided, which-.providesan ample bracing member whichlis non-collapsible, but'which is preferablymade from slightly yielding under heavy pressure. .In Fig. 6 the same form of ball is shown to that disclosed in -Fig. 5, but there is-provided no reinforcement for the conioal'partof the ball which may be made flexible or comparar.

tively stiff, as desired. However, an annular reinforcing or stiffening member 12 is provided which extends an appreciabledistance on each side of the line of juncture or weakness so as to brace both the upper part of the ball and the lower'part.

In constructing a tank ball w th the reinforcements it is designed to provide means which will positively prevent the objection-- able elongation of the ball during the flushing operation, or thereafter. Also, the re inforcement provided will prevent the elongation of the ball when lifting the same I from its seat. This is especially true in regard to the conical shaped top 5 shown in Figs. 3 and 4 as this form of the invention allows the ball to easily rise through the water.

In Fig. 7 another slightly modified form is shown in. which the upper portion 5 and the lower portion 6: are vulcanized together in the'usual manner, but is provided at'the juncture with a reinforcement 13 which is vulcanized so as to be integral with the upper portion and the lower portion, and preferably to straddle the seam or line of weakness 10. j j

The use of the term rubber or rubber composition is intended to cover the ordinary commercial rubber and the various compositions made therefrom together with any suitable material functions.

WhatI claim is *1. A tank ball formed with a'seat engaging portion of flexible rubber, an upper portion of flexiblerubber, and a reinforce-' performing the same ment formed ofrubber composition Vulcan-- si ed to the upper portion for prev nting "the collapsing thereof,v said reinforcement being formed with an annular enlargement opposite the juncture ofL-the. seat engaging collapsing of the seat engaging poi tion, and means associated with sald reinforcement and vulcanized to said upper portionfor preventing the collapsing of the rate stiffening member of hard rubber 'arranged interiorly of said flexible upper por: tion to prevent the collapsing thereof, and

also to prevent the collapsing of the upper edge of the seat'portion, and a reinforcing member of rubber arranged at the juncture of the up erportion and the .lower portion, saidirein orcing member of rubber overlappingsaid stiffening member for providing a substantially rigid joint.

4. -A float ball valve having a bulb formed with a seat engaging portion and an upper portion, a stiffening member .c'onformin with and securedfito'the inner wall of sai upper portion, and a reinforcing member secured to the interior w'all of the bulb at the junction of the seat portion and upper portion and embracing the rim of saidstifiening member. I

5.--A float ball valve formed with a flexible seat engagingportion, a top portion, a stiffening member interiorly arranged at the joint or Scam between the top portion and the seat. engaging portion to prevent 'the collapsing and the opening of said seam, and a reinforcing member overlapping said stiflening member for providing a substantially rigid oint.

6. A float ball valve formed with a flexible seat portion, an upper portion, a sepa-' rate stiffening member arranged interiorly ofsaid upper portion to'prevent the collapsing thereof, and also to prevent the collapsing of the upper edge of the seat portion, and a reinforclngmember arranged at the juncture of the upper portion and the lower portion, said reinforcing member overlapping said stifl'enin member for providin a substantially rigid joint.

7. A bulb for tank valves, comprising an "upper portion having acore of relatively hard vulcanized rubber and an outer covering of relatively soft rubber secured to said core throughout its entire upper surface, and a lower portion ofsoft rubber secured to the edges of said outer covering and the inner margin of said core.

8. A bulb for tank valves, comprising an upper portion having a supporting shell of relatively hard material, a covering of relatively soft rubber extending around the in-. ner and outer margins of said shell, and a lower portion of soft rubber secured to said rubbe 9. A bulb for tank valves, comprising an upper portion hea ing a core of relatively hard material and an outer covering of relatively soft rubber secured to said core throughout its entire upper surface and ex- I tending around its inner margin, and a lower portion of soft rubber secured to said outer and marginal coverings. p 10. A bulb for tank valves, comprising a gm of said core. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specifioationin the presence of two-subscribing Witnesses?" v CONSTANTIN RIEGGER. Witnesses: I i

A. F. RIEGGER, JOHN M. LYONS.

projection extending around the inner mar- 

